The Secret Life of Charlie Weasley
by philbrickma17
Summary: Charlie Weasley has always been private. His Family all assume he lives his life alone on the brink of danger off in Romania with his dragons. It's not until two years after the Battle of Hogwarts, when he visits home, that they realize not only is this not true but that Charlie has been hiding a secret bigger than anyone (except for possibly George) could ever imagine.


The Weasleys had made it a sort of tradition to gather with friends and family on May 2nd to remember the battle of Hogwarts and everyone they lost in the war. It was consider unacceptable to miss the gathering, and punishment was a five hour lecture from Molly either in person or by Howler (in certain members case this was the only means of contact). So today, Charlie Weasley found himself at his childhood home, the Burrow, surrounded by friends and family he didn't particularly want to see. It was nothing personal, he would just rather be in Romania remembering this day with the comforts it brought then with his rather subdued family. One glance at George makes him want to run for the hills, his smile plastered on his face, not genuine, upsets Charlie in a way only the absence of a younger sibling can. His mother calls them all to the table creaking under the weight of the amount of food she prepared. Friends and family alike gather around the several tables, Charlie takes a carefully selected seat between Hagrid and Neville Longbottom, wanting to stay out of conversation about his personal life as much as possible. He mentally groans when his mother and sister alike sit across from him. Before he can be engaged in any conversation with them, he turns to Hagrid who happily converses with him about Norberta.  
"She's a real beauty, Hagrid. I took her out for a flight just the other day, and you wouldn't believe the speeds she can reach. We're thinking about teaching her how to do tricks, instead of breeding her like we originally planned. We don't think she'd take to it very well, she needs exercise constantly and brood mothers just don't get it."  
"Nice to hear that my baby is well. Means a lot that you took such good care of her." Hagrid says wiping his big eyes with a table size hankerchief.  
"Sorry to inturrupt, Charlie." His mother cuts in much to Charlie's annoyance. "But I was wondering, when you are going to stop this dragon nonsense and settle down."  
"Mum..." Charlie tries to object, but Mrs. Weasley barely even slows down.  
"I was talking just the other day to a lovely young woman about your age, and she seemed very interested in you. Kept wanting to know more and more the more I told her, you'd like her. In fact you might already know her, I think you were in the same year at Hogwarts..."  
"Mum." Charlie shouts cutting her off. "I don't want to be set up."  
Mrs. Weasley pouts for a moment before trying a new tactic. Most other conversation much to Charlie's annoyance has stopped table wide, everyone focused on what is sure to be another colorful conversation between mother and son. "Doesn't it bother you that all of your younger siblings have started to settle down. Percy just got married last month, not that you bothered to show. And Ron and Hermione are engaged, George is in a steady relationship. Christ, even Ginny has settled down with Harry."  
"None of that bothers me in the slightest." Charlie says turning away from his mother, even though he knows it will be moments until she pulls him back into the conversation.  
"You've never even had a steady girlfriend." Mrs. Weasley huffs, to which Charlie is offended.  
"Oh come on mum, thats not true. I've had plenty of birds, you just didn't like them or didn't meet them."  
"Lay off him mum." George says from a few seats down, shocking even his mother into silence. George rarely speaks to large groups anymore, and never on May 2nd. "He's got a girl hidden back in Romania, he just doesn't want to tell you about her."  
Charlie shoots his brother a disgruntled look, George came to visit him a few months ago for a few days. So far he was the only family member to ever do this, unlucky for Charlie though. He couldn't completely hide his private life from his brother.  
"Is this true, Charlie?" Mrs. Weasley asks still shocked.  
"It was." He lies, looking away from his mother toward a thankfully sober Hagrid. Hagrid being the only other person that knows exactly how Charlie lives his life back in Romania.  
"CHARLIE BILLIUS WEASLEY!" Charlie tenses and looks toward his mother, expecting the sound to have come from her but instead finding her looking gap mouthed behind himself. Dread fills his stomach as he slowly turns around to see a strikingly beautiful woman with a small red headed child hiding behind her leg. He slowly rises from the table and walks the few hundred feet towards where she is standing at the garden gate. Hagrid claps him on the back and quietly whisper "G'd luck."  
As he walks toward the woman, he hears his friends and family break into excited whispers. When he is within five feet of the woman and child he stops. The child running to his leg, effectively latching it's small arms around it. The woman still angry begins yelling at him once more. "What the ever loving hell are you trying to pull, Charlie? You just disappear with no notice, constantly. All I wake up to is a note beside the bed saying you'll be back eventually. What kind of time scale is eventually? Your notes never even say where you're going. Do you know, how much my mind wonders? It's bad enough that you leave me, but you also leave our daughter. You promised her, she could fly Norberta today. Do you know how heartbroken she was when we couldn't find you yet again? That's why I'm here in fact. This is the last straw Charlie Weasley. You need to choose, its me and your daughter, or what ever the hell it is your doing here!" The woman gets done yelling, throwing her arms up in final frustration. The small child, who had previously been cowering into his leg peeks up at him and holds her hands in a signal to be pulled up. He smiles and pulls her into a bear hug, allowing her to hang off of his neck while he turns back to face her mother.  
"How'd you find me anyways?" He asks curious.  
"Department of International Travel, I have a few contacts. I asked them where you had traveled to and they told me England. I stopped in at the Ministry here and threw your name around, asking where I might find you. Finally some red headed prick, with horn rimmed glasses and a fancy title told me I'd find you here at this time."  
Charlie can't help but laugh at his wife's description of his brother. When he eventually stops, he turns to look at Percy. "Hear that Perce? Even people who don't know you think your a prick." George is the only person who laughs at the table, everyone else stays in a deadly silence that only comes when huge news is dropped.  
Before either his wife or family can regain their senses, Charlie hears the faint grumble of his child's stomach. He chuckles softly before walking her towards the table filled with food.  
"Did Momma forget to feed you again, because she was so mad at daddy?" The faint feeling of her nodding yes, makes him chuckle again. "Don't worry, there is plenty of food here. Besides I guess it's about time you get to taste some of Grandma Weasley's fine cooking." The little girl chuckles as he sits her down in Hagrid's lap. "Mind holding her, Hagrid. While I smooth things over with Alex?"  
"N't at all, Charlie." The big man chuckles. "Little Andrea isn't much of a handful."  
"Maybe not for you." Charlie chuckles. "Be good for your Uncle Hagrid." He tells the little girl, while handing her is plate. Which she quickly digs into.  
His entire family stares flabbergasted at the small child, none sure of what to say as she wolfs down food. Charlie confident that she'll be safe with Hagrid carefully goes back to his angry wife.  
"So what is going on here?" She demands as he takes a defensive stance across from her.  
"A rememburance for everyone lost in the Battle of Hogwarts."  
"So why are you here?"  
"Because if I wasn't, my mother would murder me."  
"I thought you said your mother was dead."  
"I lied. She's not, all those red heads at the table are my family, or at least those remaining alive. "  
"Why'd you lie about Voldemort killing your entire family?"  
"Because it was easier lying to all of you then to introduce you, but now that your here, I guess you should."  
"So they don't know about me?" Charlie slowly shakes his head no. "Or Andrea?" He once again shakes his head no.  
"The only person who knew about Andrea at that table was Hagrid. This isn't exactly the introduction I wanted you all to have..." Charlie trails off, his wife kissing him.  
"It's fine. Now get your ass over there and introduce us properly." His wife snaps, slapping him upside the head in a very Weasley way.  
"Your not mad?" He asks hopefully.  
"No, I'm still pissed. And you'll get a earful back at home, but now isn't the place. Now move it, I want to be introduced to the mother-in-law I didn't know I had."  
Charlie laughs and wraps his arm around his beautiful wife's waist, walking with her slowly to the table. They stop in front of Charlie's chair. Andrea climbing from Hagrid lap onto her dad's shoulders like a monkey.  
Charlie awkwardly stands in front of his family and friends for a moment unsure of what to say. The only thing that makes him start talking is a swift hit to the head by his wife.  
"So...Mum...Dad. I guess I should introduce you to Alex, my wife." He looks to Hagrid for support but finds none as the man is distracted by whatever is daughter is doing to his hair. "And Andrea, my daughter."  
"Why didn't you tell us?" His mother asks in a deadly whisper, sizing up the child. "You've had a wife and child for at least four years and we didn't know the wiser. Why?"  
"Umm..." Charlie says awkwardly shifting his weight. "I don't know, mum."  
Mrs. Weasley turns to her new found daughter in law. "Didn't you want to meet Charlie's family?"  
"I did." Alex says hesitantly, before turning to glare at her husband. "But Charlie told me that his family was dead. I didn't even know you all existed. He told me Hagrid was his only tie to England. Which is why he occasionally visited."  
"YOU TOLD HER WHAT?" His mum yells. Luckily before the woman can move to smack her son upside the head, his father steps in.  
"Why would you do that Charlie?"  
"I was embarressed by a number of things and I thought it would be easier to keep everything seperate at first. Then I didn't know how to fix everything and introduce you all so I just didn't mention either Alex or Andrea when I came to visit. Since only one of you have attempted to visit me in the five years since we've been married, and Andrea was born, it wasn't that big of a problem. I just had Alex take Andrea to visit her grandparents while George visited." Alex sits down in Charlie's seat, while Andrea grabs some food and smashes it into his hair.  
"So did anyone know?" Bill asks sounding hurt.  
"Only Hagrid, and I always suspected Fred and George thought something was going on." He looks to his younger brother for confromation on this fact.  
"Yeah we did. Saw a picture of you with a baby and a beautiful girl when we rooted through your stuff one day. Confused the hell out of us, that's why I came to visit, wanted to see if it was true. If you had a kid, found out it was and kept my mouth shut. Assumed you'd tell us eventually. Can I hold her?" Charlie pulls the child off of his shoulders and gracefully flings her across the table to his younger brother.

"Charlie." The shrill voices of every woman but his wife chime as George, thankfully, catches a giggling Andrea.  
"What?" He asks.  
"Your not supposed to throw children." Fleur lectures, herself, pulling her child closer to her.  
"She's fine." Charlie says waving off any concern he himself might have had. "Not nearly as far a drop as when we tossed her between dragons when she was two. Also not nearly as fun..."  
"You better not have placed my grandchild in harm like that." Mrs. Weasley scowls walking over to George and the young girl.  
"She's fine isn't she mum?" He says looking at his daughter pride filling his face. "You're tough, right Ann?" He asks the young girl who nods enthusiastically before jumping out of her uncle's arms, running off to follow a garden gnome.  
"So, Charlie. It seems you have some explaining to do." Bill says raising an eyebrow.  
"What more do I have to explain, I've got a wife and kids. End of story."  
"Kids?" Ginny asks raising an eyebrow.  
Charlie silently cusses himself before answering. "I've got a son too. He's eight."  
"Another grandchild I don't know about?" Mrs. Weasley bristles at the news.  
"In my defense, mum. Unlike Andrea I wasn't around for Wyatt's early years. I only found out about him when he was four. I didn't get to visit him at all until this past year."  
"Why not?" Ginny asks a evil glint in her eyes.  
"His mother and I don't get along very well."  
"You had to have gotten along at some point for you to have a child together." His mother says not seeing the picture that is being painted before her.  
"Not really, I didn't know her for very long..."  
Ron's mouth hits the floor as he understands, the rest of the family coming along slowly after.  
"Oh, Charlie." Ginny says pretending to be ashamed of her brother but he sees something hidden behind her eyes.  
"So when do we get to meet Wyatt?" Arthur asks his son.  
"I don't know..."Charlie says considering the matter. "I only get him for one weekend a month, only on the reserve. If we leave even to the pub for food, I have to clear it by her. Which she almost never allows, leaving the country would most likely be completely out of the question..."  
"Your his father don't you get any say?" Ron asks.  
Charlie chuckles humorlessly. "You have obviously never seen anyone in a custody battle. As the mother, her needs are the most looked after. Since I wasn't around for the first four years of the kid's life, I get very little say in anything concerning him. Like I said I only just got to start seeing him this past year, despite finding out his existence four years ago. It took me three just to get what little visitation rights I have, I really don't want to mess that up."  
Charlie looks away to where his daughter is playing with the gnomes. For once the foul creatures aren't being so foul, in fact they appear to be playing with the girl. Suddenly the girl shoots up and screams, both himself and her mother rush across the garden to the little girl but when they reach her they realize nothing is wrong. In her hand she holds a single baby gnome, both herself and the small creature burst out in laughter before the young girl places it back on the ground.  
Once the gnome is heading safely back for it's own parents, Andrea turns to face hers. Both of which muster their bust scowl, the girl cringes before slowly and clumsily walking over to her father, firmly hugging his legs and mumbling "I sorry."  
Charlie looks down at the little girl, as he attempts to keep up his angry demeanor, he speaks. "I thought Mummy and I told you not to scream like that unless you were hurt?" He scolds her.  
"Sorry daddy, I was just so happy." She says flashing him the most innocent smile a four year old can muster. "The gnome promised to be my friend, I've never had a gnome friend, only dragons. So I screamed." Charlie's glare softens into a smile.  
"I guess it's alright, just promise me you won't scream like that back at home unless your hurt."  
"I promise." The little girl says before flashing her father a final grin and running off after a chicken. All the while screaming "Come back baby dragon come back."  
Charlie turns to his wife and laughs. "You have a rather special daughter."  
His wife laughs and hits him. "She's your daughter too."  
"I don't think that's possible, I think you lied to me about being the father. No daughter of mine could possibly confuse a baby dragon and an adult chicken."  
"You're horrible, Charlie Weasley." Alex says hitting him in the stomach once more, before leaning into his side. They both retake seats at the table, Charlie bracing himself for the interigation to start once more.  
His mother has a peculiar look on her face as she stares at her son, it takes her only a moment to voice the thoughts behind it. "You don't allow my grandchildren to play around dragons do you?" Her tone implying that if he lies she'll use vertiserium to get the truth out of him.  
"Only the ones that have been around people since before they were weaned. They're the most tamed, I'd never let Andrea or Wyatt around a fully untamed dragon."  
"You let my grandchildren..." Mrs. Weasley starts before being quickly cut off by George speaking from down the table.  
"Is Wyatt that small brown haired boy with the funny colored eyes you brought into the shop about a year ago?" Charlie looks at his brother a little taken back. He had brought Wyatt to his brothers' shop the first time they had ever spent a day together, his mother had tagged along and allowed it, just as curious as her son about the wonders of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. He hadn't bothered to say hello to his brother, in fact he had tried to hide discreetly, even going as far as sending Wyatt with the money to pay by himself so George wouldn't notice he was there. He thought the plan had worked, as George hadn't attempted to talk to him or until now hadn't mentioned it.  
"Yeah, it was. I didn't think you knew I was there."  
"Oh I knew, you just seemed like you were trying to hide from me so I ignored you as well. Made a little more sense once I saw the kid and bird that was with you but not entirely. Now I understand everything."  
"Why'd you never mention it?" Charlie asks honestly curious, the twins he knew never would have let something on that big of a scale slide.  
"Thought I could use it as blackmail one day." He says with a shrug before turning to talk with Neville about some rare plant.  
"I'm still in shock that you'd keep something like this from your own family." His mother says once again looking over Charlie's wife and child.  
Charlie shrugs. "You wouldn't be if you knew the whole story." He glances at Alex out of the corner of his eye before continuing. "But that is a story for another day. For now, mum, why don't you just enjoy our lovely company." With that Charlie Weasley turns to Harry and strikes up a conversation about the weather.


End file.
